The South Archives - Page 14 of 68

Virginia Voters to Elect New Member of Congress in Special Election Tuesday

February 21, 2023February 20, 2023 The Center Square

Virginia state Sen. Jennifer McClellan, D-Richmond, will face Republican challenger Leon Benjamin in a special election Tuesday to fill the 4th Congressional District seat left vacant by the death of Democratic Rep. Donald McEachin.

The 4th congressional district, which stretches from Richmond to the North Carolina border, has had a Democratic representative since 2016 when McEachin was first elected to Congress. Leading up to the November election in 2022 when McEachin won reelection just weeks before his death, Cook Political Report designated the seat “solid Democrat.”

Virginia Senate Panel Advances Bill to Ease Lease Terminations of Uninhabitable Units

February 19, 2023February 18, 2023 The Center Square

Virginia could soon clarify the process for tenants to terminate leases when moving into an apartment that does not meet certain habitability standards under a bill receiving bipartisan support by lawmakers in the General Assembly.

Lawmakers on a Senate committee voted 14-1 Wednesday to advance HB 1635, which allows a tenant to terminate a rental agreement within 7 days of moving into a unit if certain habitability standards are not met. The bill specifies a tenant can terminate the lease and receive a refund of their full security deposit and any rent paid if the condition of the unit “constitutes a fire hazard or serious threat to the life, health, or safety of tenants or occupants of the premise.”

Virginia Senate Democrats Move Against Babies Who Survive Abortion and Women’s Need for Informed Consent

February 18, 2023February 17, 2023 Susan Berry, PhD

Senate Democrats in Virginia joined to block two bills Thursday, one that would protect babies who survive botched abortions, and another that would require abortion facilities to provide women in the state with informed consent in writing prior to undergoing an abortion.

Democrats voted against HB 1795, a bill that would require medical care to be provided infants who survive an abortion – in the same way it would be rendered “to any other child born alive at the same gestational age,” and that abortion providers would “take all reasonable steps to ensure the immediate transfer of the infant who has been born alive to a hospital for further medical care.”

Virginia’s Loudon County School Board Won’t Release Report on 2021 High-Profile Bathroom Assaults

February 17, 2023February 16, 2023 Just the News

The Loudoun County School Board in northern Virginia has decided not to release the findings of an independent report on the 2021 sexual-assault cases at two high schools that attracted national attention and was a focal point in parents’ quest during the height of the pandemic for more transparency in public schools.

The board voted 6-3 on Tuesday night, citing attorney-client privilege, which can protect the identify of the accused and victims, despite a grand jury report that concluded school officials mishandled the situation.

Soros-Backed Virginia Prosecutor Allegedly Targeted Her Political Foes with Taxpayer Funds

February 16, 2023February 15, 2023 Virginia Star Staff

A George Soros-backed commonwealth attorney allegedly used taxpayer funds to investigate her political rivals, submitting Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests to view correspondences between county officials and local reporters, according to Fox News.

Loudoun County, Virginia, Democratic Commonwealth Attorney Buta Biberaj, who received funding from a Soros-backed PAC in 2019, allegedly targeted political opponents and reporters by submitting FOIA requests with her government email, claiming that she was investigating numerous information leaks over the years, according to Fox News. After the FOIA requests were discovered, Democratic Loudoun County Supervisor Kristen Umstattd called on Biberaj to return the funds, as “the requests, at least, appear to be personal or political, and are not clearly related to your official duties as Commonwealth’s Attorney.”

Virginia May Form Work Group to Examine Teacher Pay

February 15, 2023February 14, 2023 The Center Square

The Virginia Department of Education could soon form a work group to consider competitive teacher pay in the commonwealth under a bill receiving bipartisan support in the General Assembly.

A substitute version of Senate Bill 1215 directs the Department of Education to convene a work group of school board representatives, division superintendents, school teachers, school staff and parents to make recommendations related to “competitive” teacher compensation in the commonwealth.

‘Democrats Should Be Ashamed:’ Youngkin Condemns Removal of Parent from Virginia Education Board

February 12, 2023February 11, 2023 Admin

Virginia Democrats who voted to remove concerned parent Suparna Dutta from the state’s Board of Education on Tuesday should be “ashamed,” according to Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s office.

“In an appalling show of partisanship, Senate Democrats said the quiet part out loud: Parents aren’t qualified to advise on education in Virginia,” Youngkin spokeswoman Macaulay Porter told The Daily Signal. “Suparna Dutta immigrated from India, exemplifies the American dream, and is a Fairfax County public school parent, who has continually advocated for parents and students to have a voice in their education.”

Virginia House and Senate Advance Differing Budget Amendments

February 11, 2023February 10, 2023 The Center Square

Lawmakers in the Virginia General Assembly passed differing amendments to the state’s two-year spending plan out of the House of Delegates and state Senate chambers Thursday, opening the door for budget wrangling and negotiations in the coming weeks.

The budget amendments proposed in each chamber seek to make updates to the state’s two-year spending plan, which was passed by the General Assembly and signed by Gov. Glenn Youngkin last summer.

Gov. Youngkin Condemns Black Lives Matter at School Push in Virginia Ed Union: ‘This Will Not Be Tolerated’

February 10, 2023February 9, 2023 Virginia Star Staff

Virginia Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s office said the Black Lives Matter at School toolkit released by a Virginia teacher’s union “will not be tolerated.”

The Virginia Education Association’s Black Lives Matter at School Week of Action toolkit champions BLM’s 13 principles in the classroom. It uses kindergarten through 12th grade lesson plans made by the education branch of the Southern Poverty Law Center to teach students principles including “transgender affirming,” “queer affirming,” “restorative justice,” and “globalism.”

Virginia Lawmakers Support Banning ‘Foreign Adversaries’ from Buying Farmland

February 9, 2023February 8, 2023 The Center Square

A proposal backed by Gov. Glenn Youngkin to prevent “foreign adversaries” from acquiring farmland in Virginia won support in the House and Senate this week when similar measures were passed in both chambers.

Two bills in the House and Senate – Senate Bill 1438 and House Bill 2325 – would prohibit “foreign adversaries” from purchasing agricultural land in the commonwealth starting this year. The bill defines “foreign adversaries” as any foreign government or “nongovernment person” determined by the U.S. Secretary of Commerce to have engaged in “a long-term pattern” of conduct threatening national security.

Virginia Lawmakers Divided over Gov. Youngkin’s Tax Cuts, Spending Plans

February 7, 2023February 6, 2023 The Center Square

With just a few weeks left in the legislative session, Virginia lawmakers in the House and Senate disagree on whether or not a key piece of Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s proposed budget amendments – $1 billion in tax cuts – should be included in the state’s amended spending plan.

Proposed amendments to the biennial budget presented by both the House and Senate money committees Sunday, reveals disagreement between the two chambers over the inclusion of Youngkin’s proposed $1 billion in tax reductions.

Florida Democrat Admits Taking Daughter to Drag Shows: ‘Just Folx Dancing in Cute Outfits’

February 7, 2023February 6, 2023 Susan Berry, PhD

A Florida Democrat lawmaker who admitted in a Twitter post Saturday she takes her teenage daughter to drag shows condemned Governor Ron DeSantis’s (R) move to revoke the liquor license of an Orlando venue that allowed minors to attend drag show performances.

State Representative Angie Nixon (D-Jacksonville), who self-describes as a “community organizer,” denied the sexual nature of drag shows, claiming, instead, the issue is one of “parental rights,” whereby parents can decide to take their children to these performances.

Bannon: Biden Must Be Impeached ‘As Soon As Possible’ for Lying About Chinese Spy Balloon

February 6, 2023 Julie Carr

Live from Virginia Monday morning on The John Fredericks Show, host Fredericks welcomed Stephen K. Bannon to comment on the cover-up of the Chinese spy balloon that traversed the entire continental United States and the corruption of the Biden regime.

Chinese Companies with Links to CCP Buying American Private Schools with ROTC Programs, Florida U.S. Rep. Mike Waltz Warns

February 6, 2023 Susan Berry, PhD

Companies with ties to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) are purchasing private schools with junior ROTC [Reserve Officers’ Training Corps] programs and military academies in the United States, warns Representative Mike Waltz (R-FL).

Virginia Senate Advances Bill to Increase Prescription Drug Price Oversight

February 6, 2023February 5, 2023 The Center Square

Lawmakers in the Virginia Senate voted Friday to advance a bill that would create a state board to conduct affordability reviews of prescription drugs – a measure that faces an uncertain future in the House.

Lawmakers voted 26-13 to advance Senate Bill 957 out of the Senate chamber and on to the House of Delegates. The bill could face an uphill battle in the House of Delegates, where Republican lawmakers voted to kill a companion measure last month.

Virginia House Panel Advances Key Energy Bills

February 5, 2023February 4, 2023 The Center Square

A Virginia House of Delegates panel advanced bipartisan legislation Thursday allowing a state agency to reduce utility rates when it determines utility providers are bringing in excess revenues, a move supporters say will help protect ratepayers from soaring energy bills.

A panel of lawmakers on the House Commerce and Energy Committee voted unanimously Thursday to advance a bipartisan proposal giving the State Corporation Commission authority to order reductions to utility base rates – meaning rates for generation and distribution services – “produce revenues in excess of the utility’s authorized rate of return.”

Virginia Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin Has 56 Percent Approval Rating, New Survey

February 4, 2023February 3, 2023 Just the News

Virginia GOP Gov. Glenn Youngkin has a 56% approval rating among state voters, according to a recently released survey.

The Mason Dixon survey released Thursday shows Youngkin’s approval rating his highest since taking office last year.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis Scores Victory Over College Board’s AP African American Studies Course

February 3, 2023 Susan Berry, PhD

The New York Times is lamenting the College Board’s revised curriculum for its course in Advanced Placement African American Studies (APAAS) – its abandonment of Critical Race Theory (CRT) and the move to make Black Lives Matter (BLM) merely an optional topic of study – both changes that suggest Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’s (R) firm rejection of the radical content of the prior version significantly contributed to the new direction.

Virginia Lawmakers Asked to Amend Spending to Address Education Funding Shortfall

February 3, 2023February 2, 2023 The Center Square

Virginia lawmakers are being asked to amend their proposed spending plans to address an error with a state calculation tool, that will result in schools across the state receiving millions less in state aid than they initially expected.

The Virginia Department of Education confirmed this week a calculation tool estimating the amount of state funding each school division will receive had an error. The tool did not account for funding changes after the state cut the grocery sales tax on Jan. 1, according to Charles Pyle, director of communications for the Virginia Department of Education.

Michael Patrick Leahy on Bannon’s WarRoom: Memphis Police Department Statement on Rumors Tyre Nichols Was Targeted for Personal Reasons Sounds Like A Non-Denial Denial

February 2, 2023 Julie Carr

Thursday morning on WarRoom: Battleground, Stephen K. Bannon welcomed The Star News Network’s CEO and Editor and Chief, Michael Patrick Leahy to the show to discuss the Memphis Police Department’s lack of information surrounding the alleged murder of Tyre Nichols.

Virginia House of Delegates Passes Bill Eliminating Age Restriction for Military Benefit Tax Relief

February 2, 2023February 1, 2023 The Center Square

Virginia may soon make younger veterans eligible for an income tax subtraction on military retirement pay under a bill that received bipartisan support in the House of Delegates Tuesday.

House Bill 1436 received broad bipartisan support during a floor vote in the House Tuesday, passing out of the chamber in a 98-0 vote. The bill, authored by Del. John McGuire, R-Goochland, would remove the existing 55 and older age restriction for individuals eligible for a military benefits income tax subtraction.

Panel of Virginia Lawmakers Advance Stillborn Tax Credit Proposal

February 1, 2023January 31, 2023 The Center Square

Virginia could move to create a tax credit for the loss of a stillborn child under a measure advanced by lawmakers in a House of Delegates committee Monday.

House Bill 1915 by Del. Angelia Williams Graves, D-Norfolk, would establish a refundable income tax credit for individual filers or married couples filing jointly of $2,000 for the loss of a stillborn child. The tax credit would be available from 2023 to 2027, and the bill specifies the credit could only be claimed in the taxable year in which the stillbirth occurred.

Gun Control Measures Pass Senate, Future Uncertain in House of Delegates

January 31, 2023January 31, 2023 The Center Square

An unloaded handgun sitting on the center console of a vehicle with the magazine clip next to it

Virginia Senate lawmakers passed a range of gun control measures in a floor vote Monday, including bills to crack down on ghost guns, place prohibitions on where assault firearms can be carried and clarify Virginia’s “Red Flag Law.”

Lawmakers in the Democrat-majority state Senate largely voted along party lines to pass three gun control measures Monday, forwarding them on to be heard in the House of Delegates. The bills will likely face an uphill battle in the Republican-controlled chamber, where lawmakers have already struck down a bill seeking restrictions of firearms on college campuses and a proposed assault-style weapons ban.

Framework for Retail Marijuana Market in Virginia One Step Closer

January 31, 2023January 31, 2023 The Center Square

A committee of Virginia lawmakers advanced a bill Friday that seeks to establish a retail market for sales of recreational marijuana beginning next year – a measure lawmakers are mulling almost two years after the state legalized the substance.

Former Teachers Union President in Virginia Charged with Embezzling $400,000

January 30, 2023January 29, 2023 Admin

The former president of a Virginia teachers union was arrested and charged with embezzlement from the organization on Monday, according to the Fairfax County Police Department. Ingrid Gant, former president of the Arlington Education Association (AEA), was arrested after police conducted a six-month audit that showed she embezzled $410,782.10 from the union, according to the Fairfax County Police Department.

Virginia Senate Committee Rejects ‘Education Savings Accounts’

January 29, 2023January 28, 2023 The Center Square

The Senate Committee on Education and Health voted to “pass by indefinitely” on three school choice bills by Republican lawmakers Thursday – a signal other school choice bills in the Virginia House of Delegates could face obstacles moving forward.

One of the measures defeated Thursday sought to create a “Parental Choice Education Savings Account” program, which parents could apply for and use toward certain expenses, including private school tuition.

Virginia Senate Panel Defeats Abortion Bans

January 28, 2023January 27, 2023 The Center Square

A panel of Virginia Senate lawmakers voted down Republican-backed bills seeking to enact bans on abortion in the commonwealth Thursday, including a 15-week ban backed by Gov. Glenn Youngkin.

The Senate Education and Health Committee voted to defeat a bill making it unlawful for physicians to perform an abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy unless the life of the mother is at risk, or the pregnancy is as a result of rape or incest.

Attorney General’s Report: Virginia Parole Board Broke the Law, Abused Power in March 2020 Parole Board Releases

January 27, 2023January 26, 2023 Eric Burk

A report from the Attorney General Jason Miyares’ office says the Virginia Parole Board violated state law governing victim and prosecutor notifications and had a “culture of ignoring the Virginia Code, Parole Board policies, and administrative procedures,” while accelerating the rate of releases in March 2020. Senate Minority Leader Thomas Norment, Jr. (R-James City) responded to the report by requesting Judge Adrianne Bennett, who was Parole Board chair, to resign.

“Under Chair Adrianne Bennett, the Virginia Parole Board endangered public safety and abused its power by releasing dozens of violent felons against Parole Board policies, and frequently in clear violation of a court order or Virginia law,” Attorney General Miyares said in a press release announcing the report. “Judge Bennett’s brazen abuse of her power put Virginians’ safety at risk so that she could promote a criminal-first, victim-last agenda without regard for victims or their safety.”

Fairfax County’s Thomas Jefferson High School Found Not Denoting Honors Class Designation on Student Transcripts

January 26, 2023 Susan Berry, PhD

Administrators at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science & Technology (TJ) in Fairfax County, Virginia, failed to make Honors classes notations on the official school transcripts of their students, Parents Defending Education (PDE) has discovered.

Bill to Establish Permanent Daylight Saving Time Defeated in Virginia Senate

January 26, 2023January 25, 2023 The Center Square

After discussing the measure at length, lawmakers in the state Senate voted to kill a bill seeking to establish permanent Daylight Saving Time in Virginia.

Following debate and discussion that at times prompted laughter in the chamber, lawmakers ultimately voted down Senate Bill 1017, which proposed ending the practice of changing the clocks twice a year, and would keep Virginia on daylight saving time.

Youngkin’s Business, Personal Tax Cuts Pass Out of House

January 25, 2023January 24, 2023 Eric Burk

The Virginia House of Delegates passed Governor Glenn Youngkin’s bills to cut the business tax rate from six to five percent and the top individual income tax bracket from 5.75 to 5.5 percent. The two bills would also increase individual and business income tax deductions.

“Virginians are still overtaxed, they deserve to keep more of their hard-earned paychecks and today’s significant move by the House of Delegates means Virginians are one step closer to additional relief,” Governor Glenn Youngkin said in a release after the bills passed out of the House on Wednesday.

Pioneering Law Professor Offers Legal Strategy for Virginia Students Denied National Merit Award Notices

January 24, 2023January 23, 2023 Just the News

As Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares investigates potential civil rights violations in the widespread withholding of timely National Merit Scholar award notifications to students in suburban Washington, D.C., possibly on “equity” grounds, a local law professor known for public health crusades is floating a novel legal strategy for aggrieved students. George Washington University’s John Banzhaf says Virginia courts this century have recognized a “somewhat obscure” class of legal claims known as “prima facie torts” that don’t depend on difficult-to-prove allegations such as intentional infliction of emotional distress or racial discrimination.

Youngkin Pitches His $1 Billion Tax Cut Package to Supporters at Rally

January 24, 2023January 23, 2023 Eric Burk

Governor Glenn Youngkin spoke at a rally on Monday where he shot hoops with children and called for his supporters to pressure their legislators to support the tax relief package included in his budget amendment proposal.

Economic Experts Weigh Youngkin’s Decision to Halt Virginia Ford Plant

January 24, 2023January 23, 2023 The Center Square

Growth in plants connected to electric vehicles has roared across the country. Not everyone, however, is quickly jumping in. When Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin said last week that he stopped efforts to establish a Ford Motors battery plant at a megasite in the state due to its Chinese partner, it was the first time University of Texas professor Nathan Jensen could recall a state rejecting an economic incentive deal for a battery plant.

Virginia Senate Subcommittee Recommends Against Legislation to Provide Medically-Assisted Death for Terminally Ill Patients

January 23, 2023January 22, 2023 Eric Burk

A Virginia Senate subcommittee recommended against a bill that would have allowed terminally ill people to request a medically-assisted death after Senator John Edwards (D-Roanoke City) joined with Republicans in opposition; the bill will still go before the full Senate Education and Health Committee for consideration.

Benefactor’s Family Demands Refund After University of Richmond Removes Name from Law School

January 22, 2023January 21, 2023 Admin

The University of Richmond recently removed the name of T.C. Williams, an early benefactor, from its law school because of his alleged ownership of slaves in the 19th century.

But his descendants say Williams contributed to the demise of slavery and now argue the university should refund Williams’ previously donated money to the institution.

Bill to Repay Loans of Mental Health Professionals Clears Virginia House Committee

January 21, 2023January 20, 2023 The Center Square

A bill to create a loan repayment program for Virginia mental health professionals sailed through a House of Delegates subcommittee Thursday, receiving bipartisan approval from a panel of lawmakers.

House Bill 1534, authored by Del. Nadarius Clark, D-Portsmouth, and supported by other Democratic lawmakers, proposes the creation of a Mental Health Professional Loan Repayment Program for professionals who have worked in the mental health field in Virginia for at least five years.

Youngkin Supports Expanding Virginia Literacy Act to Fifth Grade

January 21, 2023January 20, 2023 Eric Burk

RICHMOND, Virginia — Governor Glenn Youngkin is asking legislators to expand the 2022 Virginia Literacy Act to fifth grade; the program currently provides literacy curriculum, materials, testing, and intervention for kindergarten through third grades.

“We know that K through third graders, if they’re behind in reading, it’s really hard to catch back up,” Youngkin said at a Thursday press conference at George W. Carver Elementary School. “And that’s why we’re working to extend the Virginia Literacy Act support into fourth and fifth grade. It’s such an important effort for us. And the great thing is this is all being done on a bipartisan basis.”

Youngkin Felt Rejected Ford Battery Plant Deal Was ‘Deceptive’ Effort to Dodge Intent of Inflation Reduction Act

January 20, 2023January 19, 2023 Eric Burk

RICHMOND, Virginia – Governor Glenn Youngkin said Thursday that he felt that Ford’s partnership with Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., Ltd. (CATL) to build a battery factory potentially sited in Virginia seemed like an effort to dodge the intent behind the Inflation Reduction Act, and accused The Richmond Times-Dispatch of ignoring facts in reporting on his decision to block the economic development opportunity from going forward in the Commonwealth.

State Senate Committee Blocks Repeal of Law Linking Virginia to California Emissions Rules

January 19, 2023January 18, 2023 Eric Burk

Senate Democrats killed legislation to repeal law that links Virginia’s emissions standards to California regulations on Tuesday, while a similar bill advanced out of committee in the House of Delegates on Wednesday. The Senate Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Conservation Committee bundled several similar bills from Republicans into a vote on Senator Stephen Newman’s (R-Bedford) SB 779 and voted eight to seven to kill the legislation after about an hour of discussion of the bills with legislators and the public.

Virginia Lobby Day 2023: VCDL and Republicans Focus on Blocking Democratic Gun Bills, Hope for More Action in 2024

January 18, 2023January 17, 2023 Eric Burk

RICHMOND, Virginia — Republicans and gun rights activists rallied at the Virginia Capitol on Monday, known as Lobby Day. They said this year’s General Assembly will be focused on blocking gun control legislation and on picking like-minded candidates for primaries and in the November general election. At a separate rally and a press conference Monday, Democrats announced measures aimed at preventing gun violence, but with Republicans controlling the House and Democrats controlling the Senate, both parties are likely to have little success in passing legislation.

“We’ve heard from the Virginia Senate that they’re the brick wall,” Delegate Tim Anderson (R-Virginia Beach) told the crowd outside the Bell Tower. “We saw them kill a lot of legislative priorities last year from Republicans. But what you’re going to see this year: the Democrats have dropped a lot of anti-Second Amendment bills, and what you’re going to see is this Republican majority in the House stand up to that and kill that in our public safety committee. And so that’s a big thing. You’re not going to see repeals of all of the laws that have offended us that the Democrats passed in 2020 and 2021, because while we can get them out of our house, they will die in the Senate.”

Guns of America Official Criticizes Miyares over Legal Defense in Background Check Lawsuit

January 18, 2023January 17, 2023 Eric Burk

Speakers at a pro-gun rally at the Virginia Capitol on Monday criticized some Republican politicians, including Attorney General Jason Miyares, whose office is defending a lawsuit over Virginia’s universal background check laws.

“Democrats might not actually be the roadblock. The roadblock might be Republicans that think that they have the base. There’s something called, ‘The Lesser of Two Evils Fallacy.’ It says that I’m not as bad as the other person, so therefore I’m going to get the votes of my base. We have to get rid of that. If a Republican goes anti-gun, we have to primary them,” Guns of America (GOA) Special Projects Coordinator John Crump said in a speech.

Youngkin Rips Fairfax County Schools for Failing to Notify Students of National Merit Recognition: ‘Maniacal Focus on Equal Outcomes for All Students at All Costs’

January 17, 2023January 16, 2023 Susan Berry, PhD

Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin (R) said the failure of high schools in Fairfax County to notify students of their National Merit Scholarship program recognition is due to the district’s “maniacal focus on equal outcomes for all students at all costs.”

In an interview Friday with ABC 7News, Youngkin commented on the acknowledgement by seven high schools in Fairfax County that they did not inform students of their recognition in time for their college scholarship and admission deadlines.

Sen. Obenshain Tries Again with Charter School Constitutional Amendment

January 16, 2023January 16, 2023 Eric Burk

Senator Mark Obenshain (R-Rockingham) has introduced a constitutional amendment to add approving charter schools to the Virginia Board of Education’s powers.

“We’ve seen a huge number of parents move their children to private or homeschooling environments, and the only people who can’t take advantage of it are the people who can’t afford it. And I just don’t think that we ought to be depriving Virginians of a high-quality education either because they can’t afford it or because of the zip code we’re in,” Obenshain told The Virginia Star.

Democrats to Push for Gun Safety Measures in 2023 Session

January 15, 2023January 14, 2023 The Center Square

Virginia Democrats are pushing for stricter gun safety measures during the 2023 legislative session in response to what they say is an “epidemic” of gun violence.

Democratic lawmakers in the state Senate have introduced a range of gun control proposals, including bills that will prohibit individuals from carrying assault weapons in certain public areas and prohibit the sale of unserialized weapon parts, more commonly known as “ghost guns.”

Youngkin Nixes Ford Battery Plant Over Partnership with Chinese Company

January 14, 2023January 13, 2023 Eric Burk

Governor Glenn Youngkin blocked Virginia from consideration for a battery plant to supply Ford Motor Company amid concerns about the technology supplied by a Chinese company, he told reporters on Wednesday.

In a press gaggle, Youngkin criticized a clean energy push that relied on technology “owned and dominated by the Chinese.”

“Well, we in fact felt that the recent efforts to put forward a Ford plant that would house Chinese technology to build the batteries was in fact representative of that. And that we felt the right thing to do was to not recruit Ford as a front for China to America. Let’s develop our own technology,” Youngkin said after his State of the Commonwealth speech.

Sec. Transportation: Port of Virginia Strong, Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority in Trouble

January 13, 2023January 12, 2023 Eric Burk

RICHMOND, Virginia — In a Thursday presentation to legislators, Secretary of Transportation Shep Miller touted reduced DMV wait times, record Port of Virginia profits, and expansion at Virginia’s spaceport, but he said fatality rates on Virginia highways are ticking up and northern Virginia commuter rail and metro options are in bad financial condition.

“WMATA [Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority] is not so good,” Miller told the Senate Transportation Committee. “A new CEO, really excited about him. A lot of work to do. A lot. Huge deficit looming. Not really sure how we’re going to deal with that.”

Youngkin Makes Legislative Pitches During State of the Commonwealth Address

January 12, 2023 Eric Burk

RICHMOND, Virginia — Governor Glenn Youngkin continued his call for tax cuts, changes to education policy, and increased funding for law enforcement as part of his Wednesday State of the Commonwealth address; he described his first term as a reversal after his Democratic predecessors, and called on legislators to “press the accelerator.”

“I am here this afternoon to communicate that the state of our Commonwealth is substantially better than it was last year,” he said to applause. “We are still a great distance from our destination. A destination where Virginia truly is the best place to live, work, and raise a family. I’m here this afternoon to urge us to accelerate our efforts to get more done and to get it done faster.”

Virginia Attorney General Announces Investigation into Public Schools

January 11, 2023January 10, 2023 Admin

On Monday, Jason Miyares, the Attorney General of Virginia, announced that his office would conduct an investigation into all public schools in Fairfax County, over allegations that schools throughout the area have withheld merit awards from winners in the name of “equity.”

As Fox News reports, Miyares had already begun a civil rights investigation on Wednesday into Thomas Jefferson High School after parents complained that the school’s withholding of such awards negatively impacted their students’ college applications, with the awards not being announced until after most application deadlines had passed.

Rouse Flips Virginia’s Senate District 7 by Less than One Percent in Unofficial Results

January 11, 2023January 11, 2023 Eric Burk

Democrat Aaron Rouse declared victory in Tuesday’s special election to fill a state senate seat left vacant after now Congresswoman Jen Kiggans’ (R-VA-02) election to Congress; however, Republicans may consider requesting a recount due to Kevin Adams’ loss by less than one percent in preliminary results.

“THANK YOU! With your support, and the support of voters from across Virginia Beach and Norfolk, we have won this Special Election. No rest for the weary – tomorrow, we head to Richmond to get to work for Virginia families,” Rouse tweeted.